May 10, 2011

Morning Wrap

Fee Fight: Exonerated prisoners in Texas are fighting legal fees from an attorney who lobbied state lawmakers to increase the payout to wrongfully imprisoned individuals, the New York Timesreports.

Health Care: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit is set to hear arguments today in the latest challenges to the health care overhaul law. The Washington Postnotes that the judges will hear two cases - one is an appeal of a Virginia federal court judge's decision to strike down a section as unconstitutional; the other is an appeal of a judge's decision to affirm the law.

Refuse to Recuse: A New York federal court judge has declined to recuse himself from the racketeering suit brought by Chevron against the individuals and groups that had sued Chevron in Ecuador; the defendants had argued the judge showed bias against them. The New York Law Journal has the story.

Unusual Defense: The Philadelphia Inquirerreports on a murder case that is challenging the viability of the so-called "gay panic" defense, in which an individual is so shocked by sexual advances from someone of the same sex that he or she reacts violently. Attorneys for the government say the defense has not been accepted elsewhere in the state and risks turning the case into a lifestyle referendum.

Jailhouse Journalism: The Washington Postprofiles inmates at a Maryland jail who are serving as in-house broadcast journalists. The program features segments of everything from crime victims' issues and prison rules to sports and religion.